The tomb, which is 109 metres long and 16 metres deep, may have belonged to Prince Gao, the son of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
A huge coffin filled to the brim with treasures has been discovered by archaeologists in a tomb hidden near the mausoleum of the first emperor of the Chinese Empire, Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), containing the famous Terracotta Army of more than 6,000 soldiers, Arkeonews reported on Friday.
Hundreds of new Terracotta warriors and horses discovered in China
Archaeologists say the 16-tonne coffin could belong to Prince Gao, son of Qin Shi Huang. The tomb, which is 109 metres long and 16 metres deep, is shaped like an inverted pyramid and its walls have large earthen steps that narrow as you descend towards the coffin. The coffin contains luxurious burial goods, including weapons, armour, jade, two gold and silver camels, a set of cooking utensils and 6,000 bronze coins.
“Every time I go down, I am still amazed,” confesses Jiang Wenxiao, who is leading the excavation. “The tomb was built with such precision, it’s so deep, it’s so big. Most ancient tombs have been looted, so we didn’t have high hopes for the burial chamber. But it turned out not to have been looted. We were amazed,” he added.
The tomb is one of nine discovered in 2011. Although the finds remained in place, as required by Chinese law, this year scientists excavated and moved one of the coffins to study and examine its contents in a controlled environment.
What is the Ancient Terracotta Army?
The first soldiers and horses of the Terracotta Army were discovered by accident in 1974 by farmers digging a well near the city of Xian. Little did they know that they had stumbled upon one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Archaeologists find hundreds of terracotta warriors from the first Chinese emperor’s terracotta army
The thousands of terracotta warriors served to satisfy the ambitions of Qin Shi Huang, who sought to maintain his power in the afterlife by being buried alongside this clay army.
Ancient cultures saw death as a continuation of life on earth, so when a person died, everything they thought they would need for their never-ending journey was placed in their tomb.
Rulers often preferred to take flesh-and-blood servants and soldiers with them into the afterlife. However, the court of the first Chinese emperor persuaded him not to continue this tradition to avoid public discontent. As a result, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the Terracotta Army shortly after ascending the throne.
Legend has it that a year after Qin Shi Huang’s death, the first emperor’s dynasty was in danger. His younger son Hu Hai had usurped the throne and purged most of his brothers and sisters. Hu Hai’s brother, Prince Gao, initially wanted to flee the reign of terror but realised that this would lead to the persecution of his family. Eventually, Gao told his brother that he had betrayed his father by not following him into the afterlife and asked him to die and be buried close to the Emperor, and Hu Hai agreed.
